Day: October 18, 2017

President Donald Trump on Wednesday gathered with senators on the chamber’s tax-writing committee — including Democrats — as the GOP crafts a plan it hopes to pass this year.

Before the White House meeting, Trump touted the GOP’s tax-reform framework as a tool to unlock economic growth and boost job creation. The president, who has repeatedly said he wants to accomplish the difficult feat of winning Democratic votes, joked about the minority party’s support to Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee.

“I’m sure we’ll have unanimous support. I have no doubt. Right, Ron?” Trump said before the meeting, flanked by committee Chairman Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.

McCaskill was one of six Democrats on the Finance Committee attending the meeting with Trump and their Republican counterparts. All except Wyden — McCaskill, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida and Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan — face re-election next year in a state Trump won in 2016.

Governor Kim Reynolds spoke with President Donald Trump over the phone this morning about the state of health care in the country, as well as renewable fuels.

The call comes ahead of a news conference the governor will speak at in Pella this afternoon at 1:30 p.m.

The Press Secretary for Governor Reynolds says this morning’s conversation was “a very positive and productive call.” On top of the country’s health care system, the governor and President Trump discussed “the importance of renewable fuels to the Iowa economy.”

The mother of a soldier killed in an ambush in Africa said Wednesday that President Trump “did disrespect my son” with remarks in a condolence telephone call.

Sgt. La David T. Johnson’s mother, Cowanda Jones-Johnson, told The Washington Post that she was present during the call from the White House on Tuesday to Johnson’s widow, Myeshia Johnson. Johnson’s mother also stood by an account of the call from Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (D-Fla.) that Trump told Johnson’s widow that her husband “must have known what he signed up for.”

“President Trump did disrespect my son and my daughter and also me and my husband,” Jones-Johnson said.